Chorus Sampler for Beulah Land (piano congregational style) 

Part Two:  Chorus coming this Monday!

I LOVE adding zest to the old hymns.  Over the past several years…I have become more free with congregational accompaniment…meaning…I play less melody  IF the hymn is familiar to the congregation.)

The congregation REALLY gets in to this particular hymn. They sing it with much enthusiasm!

I will publish the chorus for Dwelling in Beulah Land this Monday.

Click here to get Part One” Dwelling in Beulah Land (VERSE ONLY)

Click on image below to enlarge…

As promised, here’s the verse of Dwelling in Beulah Land like I might play for congregational singing at my church. (link contains verse and chorus)

Editor notes:

1.  This arrangement was written to be handled at about quarter note = 120 tempo
2.  I ironed out the excessive wrinkles (dotted quarter note + eighth note) and played  more even rhythms to make it easier on the hands of the pianist…as in measures: 1,3,5,6 etc.
3.  I also inserted 6 quarter note rests during the verse to break up the right hand movement and for interesting rhythm!
4.  The quarter note + half note rhythm in the left hand created more rhythmic drive.
5.   I have more freedom with this song because our congregation knows it very well.  You would need to add more melody if your congregation is not as     familiar with this song. Notice: I used just enough melody to prevent me from being disorientated and to provide some melody stability for the singers 😉
6.  My goal is to make the congregational style accompaniment support the singers and to make it enjoyable/comfortable for the pianist to play

Click here to download your free copy of verse & chorus.

Dwelling-in-Beulah-Land-piano-congregational

I’m sharing the rest of “The Call for Reapers” as promised last weekend.

Tips for the complete arrangement:

1. For those who don’t like playing sharp keys…just easily transpose to E flat major. The notes are the same….just think three flats instead of four sharps!
2. Try applying the accompaniment pattern of the chorus to hymns of like nature and chordal structure such as:
3. Measures 25 – 27 would go well for the words “softly and tenderly Jesus is” for the hymn “Softly and Tenderly.”
4. Read the note at the bottom of the sheet music that you’re about to download…

Click here to download the chorus of “The Call for Reapers”

Part One can be found by clicking this line… “The Call for Reapers”

Part One:  The Call for Reapers 

This past Sunday I had to play in E Major (four sharps) for a male vocal solo and survived! He was singing “The Call for Reapers” out of the hymnal. The hymnal version was in the key of A flat major.

In his first practice I discovered E Major was the most suitable  key for his baritone range.  I decided I would brave the sea of black notes and make it work!

Usually I would have had the vocalist go to another nearby key that I could reasonable transpose to.

As I’ve mentioned before….E major is NOT my most comfortable key to play in.  Some of my readers are sharp key lovers but I’m quite the opposite!

A simple sketch of  “The Call for Reapers” was all I needed to keep me on track.  It worked wonders!  I was able to follow the piece fairly easy. The gentleman sang two verses and choruses but I just wrote out one verse and chorus as more of a guide.

Most hymns in the church hymnal don’t go beyond three sharps or five flats.  That explains why I don’t feel as comfy beyond the hymnal key range.

Maybe there are other church pianists who could benefit from this  simple sketched out arrangement of “The Call for Reapers”.

This particular hymn makes a great choice for Mission’s Conference or other mission related meeting.

I’m sharing the verse in this post and will publish the chorus by hopefully next weekend.

Click on following title to download your FREE copy of the verse

Part Two (chorus) by next weekend.  (March 8 – 10, 2021)

The Call for Reapers

I’ll be live on facebook tonight at 8pm EST.

You don’t need a facebook account to view the live video. Complete public access.

Event link:  https://www.facebook.com/thechurchpianist

Once you click the above link this evening….just scroll down the page until you see me playing with the following  icon  in upper  left  hand corner of screen.

Several weeks ago I sat down at the piano to create a congregational arrangement for one of my intermediate level students.

I lacked two measures finishing the hand-written copy when my student walked in for her lesson.

Instead of holding off to share…I assigned her to finish the last two measures on her own for that week.

I reminded her to stay true to the texture of the arrangement which she did very well!

Here’s the finished product that we thought we’d share with other church pianists that may need a quick offertory or as a congregational arrangement.

Click on hymn title for free download.   I’ve also posted Allie playing the arrangement below.

Come Ye Thankful People Come

We’ve had two of our grandkids this week while their Mom had to fly out to attend her Grandmother’s funeral.   

It’s been a great week but I realized rather quickly…I’m not the young one I use to be 😉

I closed out this week by playing some of their favorite hymns for their bedtime.

Bedtime Hymns 

This video gives suggestions on how to ease through an abrupt chord change in a hymn.  The hymn in this lesson is entitled “Where Jesus Is, ‘Tis Heaven”.

I had NEVER heard of this hymn until one of my readers recently shared it with me. Thanks Karen!

Download the two pages below before viewing the video. (For ease of reference)

Where Jesus Is, ‘Tis Heaven (original version)

Where Jesus Is, ‘Tis Heaven (improvised version)

Just this afternoon I had one of my intermediate students ask me, “What could I play during the echo section in the chorus of “It is Well?”

She enjoyed learning the left hand patterns I entered as a suggested route.  I told her if she would learn to recognize her chords in the hymnal…it would open up a whole realm of  improvising choices!

Click on the title below to download your copy of the chorus ideas for “It is Well.”

It is Well D Flat Major

Answer key for D flat major version (below)